Join the scores of engaged and energetic community members involved with The Willamette River Festival, happening now, from Aug 15-22nd. Today’s Register-Guard even has a front page story about the Festival! Read about it here.
A variety of indigenous peoples, including the Kalapuya, the Chinook, and the Clackamas, have stewarded the lands of the Willamette Valley for at least 10,000 years. Rightly so, one of the guiding principles of the Festival is to honor the Indigenous Involvement in the Festival. Explore the Willamette River Festival Homepage, read the Festival’s Kalapuya Ilihi Land Acknowledgement, and check out the full Festival Activity List/Schedule.
Public safety guidelines in response to the COVID-19 pandemic have altered the festival significantly, but it is still moving forward with several educational virtual and self-guided tours.
Here is a list of Indigenous led components of the Festival:
- Opening Ceremony Video, with Esther Stutzman and family, produced by Esther’s granddaughter, Aiyanna Brown
- Talking Stones Self-Guided Tour, with Marta Clifford, UO Native Elder in Residence
- Burning to Restore Camas, and Connecting the Upslope to the River Corridor, with Joe Scott
- Willamette River Festival YouTube Channel– click here for all current and future videos
- Wisdom of the Elders Film Project – The Peoples of Western Oregon and LIVE discussion with Kunu (producer) and Tim Keenan-Burgess (Director)
- 7pm, Thursday Register here for this event: Film Screening Registration
- More info about the film: http://www.wisdomoftheelders.org/
We hope you can participate in some of these events! If you have questions, please reach out to:
Salmon “Sam” Norgaard-Stroich
Assistant Director
University of Oregon Outdoor Program
541.603.8362
